Method of producing building elements



March 5, 1935- N. P. HARSHBERGER 1,993,1556

METHOD OF' PRODUCING BUILDING ELEMENTS Original Filed Deo. 2l, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bnnentor Bg MKM (ttornegs.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE METHOD 0F PRODUCING BUILDING ELERIENTS Norman P. Harshberger, Scarsdale, N. Y., as-

sig'nor to Bakelite Building Products Co. Ine., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1991, sen'al No. 592,976 Renewed July 25, 1994,

Claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvements in method of producing building elements, and more particularly to a method of producing figure effects of varied appearance on multiple unit elements.

It has been common practice in the industry to manufacture individual shingles in varied colors, and to mix the shingles during application to produce a varied, haphazard appearance on the roof. While this procedure results in a very dcsirable covering of pleasing appearance, hit is relatively costly, in view of the fact that it can be accomplished only by the use of separate individual shingles. Inasmuch as a great saving results from the use of strip shingles having a plurality of tabs which are adapted to cooperate during assembly to produce an individual shingle appearance, it would be highly desirable if these strip shingles could be so colored during manufacture as to make it possible to produce the desired haphazard effect. To do this in an economical manner, however, has not been possible, as strip shingles having tabs cannot be cut from a web in a manner to coincide with straight bands of color thereon. As a` result, the only possibility afforded by strip shingles has been with use of a strip of one color throughout, overlapped by a strip of another Vcolor throughout. A double color effect could thus be obtained, but it would be a regular alternation only and a haphazard multi-color appearance could not be produced.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a method of producing a plurality of gure effects of varied appearance on multiple unit elements, in which the various effects coincide perfectly with the figures to be formed on the roof.

A more lspecific object of the invention is to provide a method of producing building elements of the type set forth in copending application Serial Number #565,445, wherein there are separate portions in at least three different planes, the planes being separated by lines of offset which deflne individual gures in such a manner that the roof covering even on close inspection appears tobe made up of only a plurality of small size individual units, and in which the individual figures are of a varied, haphazard color appearance.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of producing unitary building elements of the type above described having glll'e effects of varied appearance thereon, in which the varied appearance is produced in a simple manner ferent color arrangement;

(Cl. 10S- 7) by having the web formed with longitudinal bands of unlike appearance thereon, and in which the bands and lines of cut are so arranged as to properly coincide.

A more specific object of the invention is to 5 provide a method of producing building elements having a plurality of figure effects of Varied appearance which may include the formation of longitudinal bands of unlike appearance on both sides of the web.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of producing hexagonal ligure effects of varied appearance on multiple unit elements. l

A further object of the invention is to provide l5 a method of producing figure effects of varied appearance on multiple unit elements which makes it possible to cover a roof in an economical manner, and at the same time to provide a l varied, haphazard color effect on the roof.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved method of producing building elements and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a section of the web showing longitudinal bands of unlike appearance` thereon;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the opposite side of the web with other bands of different appearance thereon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of a web having the contrasting bands thereon, and illustrating the manner of cutting multiple unit elements therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of said elements after it has been severed from the web;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the building elements folded and ready for assembly showing one combination of colors thereon; y

Fig. 6 is a plan view of said element showing the foldable portions reversed to produce a dif- Fig. 7 is a plan view of the element showing the color appearance of the reverse side of the arrangement of Fig. 6:-

Fig. 8 is a plan view of an element showing the color appearance on the reverse side of the arrangement of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a plan view 'showing a group of the elements as assembled on the roof;

Fig. 10 is a similar view bringing out the varied, haphazard color appearance which may be produced.v

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view similar to Fig. 3 showing the side of the web illustrated in Fig. 1 and the method of cutting a modified form of unit therefrom;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of one of said units after it has been severed from the web;

Fig. 13 -is a plan view of one of said units folded and ready for assembly showing one combination of colors thereon;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of one of the units reversed in position to provide a different color combination; and

Fig. 15 is a plan view showing a group of the units assembled to form a haphazard multi-color effect.

A portion of a web of the usual flexible composition material is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. This web may be provided with longitudinal bands of substantially equal width, one band 11 being blue as illustrated, and the other band 12- being green. On the reverse side of the web as illustrated in Fig. 2, vare shown longitudinal bands of red, 13, and purple, 14. It is, of course, to be understood that any other colors may be selected or that the contrasting appearance may be produced in some other manner than by coloring, such as by striping or by using mineral material of different coarseness or appearance, or in any other selected manner. Where color is employed, the bands are usually formed by depositing mineral of the desired colors on the traveling web to form the bands illustrated, the mineral then being partially embedded in the bituminous material beneath. The colored bands may also be produced by printing, by the application of paint, by colored hydraulic cement applied to a mineral which has been previously affixed to a felt basel by an adhesive, or in any other manner.

The web thus colored must then be cut as illustrate'd in Fig. 3 along the diagonally extending lines 15, 16, 17 and 18, and along the transverse line 18 to sever the separate units from one another.

The cut units will be found to include four sections, 19, 20, 21 and 22, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the sections 19 and 20 being connected to a neck 23 between the sections 2l and 22 by lines of fold 24 and 25.

It will thus be seen that the severed unit when in fiat form, as in Fig. 4, will have the adjacent sections 19 and 21 blue in color on one side, and

red on the other side, and the sections 20 and 22 green on one side and purple on the other. 'Ihe lower corner 26 of the section 20 which is defined by a line of fold 26 is then preferably folded under, and the upper corner 27 of the section 19, which is dened by a similar line of fold 27', is folded over on top of the section. It is further to be noted that the section 19 is formed with lateral extensions 28, and that the section 20 is formed with similar extensions 29. Thus, when the unit is folded on the lines 24 and 25 to cause inversion and reversal of the sections 2l and 22, as shown in Fig. 5the section 19 will be blue, the section 20 green, the section 21 red, and the section 22 purple. Certain of the lateral extensions or turned over tabs may have a. different color from the figure to which they are connected, but this will be immaterial. as these extensions are all covered in assembly. By folding the section 20 from the position shown in Fig. 5 downwardly, and then back again to the position shown in Fig. 6, and by also changing the position of the section 19 from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 6, the color appearance will be the same, but in View of the fact that the unit must be turned around in assembly to bring the section 20 from an upper position to a lower position, a second color arrangement will result.

By taking the unit as arranged in Fig. 6 and turning it over to expose the colors on the opposite sides of all of the sections, the grouping shown in Fig. 7 will result, wherein red is at the top, purple at the bottom. and green and blue at the sides. By similarly turning over the unit as arranged in Fig. 5, Fig. 8 will result. Inasmuch as the unit shown in Fig. 8 must be turned around to bring the red section downwardly in assembly, this will provide a fourth color arrangement.

It may thus be seen that each unit is capable of producing individual figure eifects of four different colors, and that each unit may be used in four different ways to provide for entirely different arrangements of these colors.

In assembly as shown in Fig. 9, the elements may be laid in horizontally or diagonally extending rows in either direction, with the lower diagonal edges of one element overlapping upper diagonal edges of elements below in such a manner that a plurality of hexagonal figure effects are produced. It is preferred, however, that the elements be positioned in diagonally extending rows. Due to the fact that one of the sections in each element is in a plane lower than the sections 21 and 22, and due to the fact that another of the sections is in a plane higher than the sections 21 and 22, it is desirable to have any space between an overlapping portion of one element and a portion of another element in a plane below filled in so that moisture cannot work in below the elements. This purpose is eiiectively accomplished by the folded over corners 26 and 27 of the sections 19 and 20, and by the laterally extending portions 28 and 29. By referring to the folded over portion 26 to which the numeral is applied in Fig. 9, it will be seen that this corner ilts perfectly adjacent the edge of the overlapping element and effectively fills in any space which might otherwise be present. It will also be seen that the laterally extending portions 28 and 29 of the sections 19 and 20 respectively, to which numerals are applied in Fig. 4, effectively lill in the space below the butt of an element positioned above. It is also to be noted that in the folded element there are lines of fold, and a portion of triple thickness located substantially centrally and formed by the neck 23 and by the portions of sections 20 and 19 thereabove and therebelow. Thus, the unit is substantially strengthened at a point generally considered the weakest.

In view of the fact that it is desired to illustrate the method of application in Fig. 9, the color effects produced in assembly have not been illustrated in this view. In Fig. 10, however, the nished appearance is clearly shown, and it may be seen that by mixing up the various possible arrangements shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, that a hapha'zard figure effect can be readily produced, the said effect being identical to that produced by the use of separate individual shingles furnished in a plurality of different colors and mixed up in assembly..

While it is preferred to furnish the shingles to the dealer or contractor in the at form, illustrated in Fig. 4, with the idea in mind of folding at the time of assembly on the roof, it is nevertheless to be understood that the folding may be done during manufacture, and the various portions of each element may then be pressed to intimate contact with one another, and overlapping portions made to permanently adhere together by any suitable means such as by adhesive, by stapling, or by riveting, thus forming a rigid or semi-rigid element. The element may also be manufactured in this latter manner from relatively rigid material such as a cement and asbestos composition, or with any hydraulic cement base with or without fibrous binding material. When the web is manufactured with hydraulic cement bases, the folding will of course be done after cutting and while the material is in partially set condition. When the folding is done during manufacture, as above described, the elements will, of course, be folded in the different manners heretofore described to produce the various color arrangements, so that the dealer can readily mix them up during assembly on the roof. i

The foldable corner portions 26 and 2'? may, if desired, be omitted, but their use is preferred in view of the fact that they serve effectively as llers in assembly.

In Figs. 11-15 inclusive a slightly modified form of unit is illustrated. In this form, a web of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2, having bands of varied appearance on both sides, is cut on the transverse lines `30 and on a broken longitudinal line 30. This forms a plurality of units of the form shown in Fig. 12, each unit including two sections 31 and 3 2 connected at 33. In cutting the units, it is preferred to extend the transverse cuts 30 at an angle near one edge of the web as at 34 to form extensions 35 in connection with each section 32. It is also preferred to form additional diagonallyextending cuts 36 and 37 to sever opposite corners of the section 31.

Some of the units of Fig. 12 may then be folded as shown in Fig. 13 to form two contrastingly colored figure effects. As shown in the drawings, these two colors may be purple and blue. By reversing the unit as shown in Fig. 14, a green and red combination may be obtained. The vunits folded as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 are then assembled as shown in Fig. 15 to produce a haphazard four color combination. This form of unit may of course be folded to form either Iat the time of assembly or it may be folded during manufacture, and the overlapping portions may be permanently secured together by any suitable means, as fully described in connection with the principal form. It may also be manufactured of any suitable material as previously pointed out in connection with the four-section unit.

Thus a method has been disclosed by means of which relatively economical large size building elements may be provided which are formed with gure eects of varied appearance thereon, and which,-when laid, will very closely resemble the more expensive individual shingles of varied colors applied in a haphazard manner on the roof.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details or steps disclosed herein, for various modications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of producing a building element comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet on inwardly extending lines which terminate short of meeting to form substantially similar connected together sections, and folding one of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof. y

2. The method of producing a building element comprising forming a plurality of bands of unlike appearance on each side of a sheet of material, so cutting said sheet as to form substantially similar connected together sections with each section having its opposite sides of different appearance and of different appearance from the corresponding side of an adjacent section, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

3. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a plurality of bands of unlike appearance on opposite. sides of a web, cutting said web to form units therefrom, cutting each unit to form substantially similar connected Vtogether sections, certain of the lines of cut coinciding throughout the major portion of their length with the line of juncture between the bands on the web, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

4. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a pair of bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming an equalnumber of bands of still different appearance on the other side of the web, cutting said web transversely to form a plurality of units therefrom, cutting said units to form substantially similar connected together sections, certain of the lines of cut coinciding with the line of juncture between the bands on the web, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

5. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a plurality of bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming an equal number of bands of still dierent appearance on the other sideof the web, cutting said web to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on inwardly extending lines which terminates short of meeting and which form a plurality of sections, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

6. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a plurality of bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming an equal number of bands of still different appearance on the other side of the web, cutting said web to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on transversely extending and longitudinal lines which terminate short of meeting near the center of the unit and which form a plurality of sections, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

7. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a plurality of longitudinally extending bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming an equal number of longitudinall;r extending bands of still different appearance on the other side of the web,- cutting said web transversely to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on transversely extending and longitudinal lines which terminate short of meeting near the center of the unit and which form a. plurality of sections, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

8. The method of producing building elements comprising forming a pair of longitudinally extending bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming a pair of longitudinally extending bands of still different appearance on the other side of the web. each band being substantially half the width of the web, cutting said web transversely to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on lines which extend from a substantially medial point of each edge inwardly toward one another and which terminate short of meeting, two of said lines of cut coinciding throughout the major portion of their length with the line of juncture of the bands, said lines of cut forming a plurality of centrally connected sections, and folding certain of said sections to a position to expose the reverse side thereof.

9. 'Ihe method of producing building elements comprisng forming a pair of longitudinally extending bands of unlike appearance on one side of a web, forming a pair of longitudinally extending bands of still different appearance on the other side of the web, each band being substantially half the Width of the web, cutting said web transversely to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on-lines which extend from a substantiallymedial point of each edge inwardly toward o ne another and which terminate short of meeting, ".two vof said lines of cut coinciding throughout the major portion f their length with the line oftuncture of the bands, said lines of cut forming a plurality of centrally connected sections, foldingv-one of said sections to a position above the normal plane of the unit so as to expose the reverse side thereof, and folding an opposite section to a position below the normal plane of the unit to expose the reverse side of said section.

10. The method of producing a roofcovering having a multi-color appearance comprising forming a plurality of bands of unlike color on one side of the web, forming an equal number of bands of different color on the other side of the web, cutting said web to form a plurality of units, cutting each unit on inwardly extending lines which terminate shortof meeting and which form a plurality of sections, folding certain of the sections of some of the units in one direction to ex'- pose the reverse side thereof, folding certain of the sections of the other units in the opposite direction to expose the reverse side thereof, and assembling the folded units on a roof using either side thereof at random.

l1. The method of producing a building unit comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting saidsheet to form substantially similar connected together sections, and folding one of said sections along a `continuous full edge of an exposed flgure to expose the reverse side thereof.

12. The method of producing a building unit comprisingforming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet to form substantially similar connected together sections, and folding certain of said sections along a continuous full edge' of an exposed figure to expose the reverse sides thereof.

13. The method of producing a building element comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet to form at least three connected together sections, folding one of said sections to a position above the normal plane of the unit to expose the reverse side thereof, and folding an opposite section to a position below the normal plane of the unit to expose the reverse side of said section.

sition below the normal plane of the unit.

15. The method of producing building elements comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, making spaced longitudinal cuts substantially on the juncture line of the bands, making other cuts transverse the sheet to divide said sheet into separate units comprising a plurality of sections,l

and foldingl one of. said sections along a line oblique to and commencing at `the termination of a longitudinal cut to expose the reverse side thereof.

16. The method of producing building elements comprising forming two bands of unlike appearance on each side of a sheet of material, cutting the sheet transversely into elements to comprise a plurality of sections, cutting each element inwardly from a transverse edge on a line coinciding at least partially with the line of juncture between bands to form substantially similar connected together sections, and folding a section on a line oblique to and commencing approximately at the termination of the inwardly extending cut to expose the reverse side thereof.

17. The method of producing a building element comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet along lines to form connected actions substantially similar in shape to each other and to the exposed configurations of laid elements, and folding a section to a position oiset with relation to another section and exposing the reverse side thereof to produce a unit with contrasting offset sections. I

418. The method of producing a building element comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet to form substantially similar connected sections and folding one of said sections on a line oblique to the horizontal edges of the sheet to expose the reverse side thereof, to thereby form offset figures of similar shape and contrasting appearance.

19. The method of producing a building element comprising forming a plurality of bands'of unlike appearance on a sheet of material, cutting said sheet to form substantially similar connected together sections, some of the lines of cut between sections substantially coinciding with a line of demarcation between bands, folding one of said sections on a line oblique to form offset similar shaped but contrasting figures.

20. 'Ihe method of producing a building element comprising forming bands of unlike appearance on opposite sides of a sheet of material, cutting said sheet along lines to form connected sections, folding a section on a. line oblique to the longitudinal edges of the sheet to expose the reverse side thereof to thereby form offset figures of contrasting effect and retroverting a portion of one section to form av ller piece in assembly.

NORMAN P. HARSHBERGER. 

